System and method for monitoring air flow in a bulk tobacco curing and drying structure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method of monitoring air flow in a bulk tobacco curing and drying structure wherein the system and method is designed to actuate an alarm device in response to the air flow within the bulk tobacco curing and drying structure falling below a preset level. In particular, the system and method entails providing an air flow monitoring device in the path of a system of air that is circulated vertically through the mass of bulk tobacco contained within the curing and drying structure. The air flow monitoring device is operatively associated with a master "on-off" switch and is operatively connected to a main control panel or unit that is in turn operatively associated and connected to an alarm device such as a siren. One air flow within the bulk curing and drying structure ceases or falls below a preselected value, the air flow monitoring device is operative to actuate a relay within the main control unit which in turn actuates a switch that closes a circuit having said alarm device included therein, causing the alarm device to be actuated and accordingly appraise an individual in the vicinity of the bulk curing and drying structure of the fact that the air flow within the bulk curing structure has falling below the preselected value.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of bulk curing and drying tobacco and monitoring air flow through a bulk tobacco barn housing the tobacco therein during the curing and drying process, the method comprising the steps of: circulating a system of air vertically through a mass of tobacco disposed within said bulk barn; heating the air as necessary to maintain a selected temperature level within said bulk barn; positioning an air flow monitoring device within the path of air being circulated through said bulk barn; switching an air flow monitoring system to an "on" state; sensing the air flow of the system as air is directed through the bulk barn and vertically through the tobacco contained therein; actuating said air flow monitoring device in response to the air flow within said bulk barn falling below a selected level; actuating a control unit in response to said air flow monitoring device being actuated; and actuating an alarm device in response to said control unit being actuated and thusly appraising individuals in the vicinity of the bulk barn that the air flow has fallen below said selected level. 
     
     
       2. The method of bulk tobacco curing and drying and monitoring air flow within a bulk tobacco barn, as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of actuating an alarm device includes the step of emitting an audible siren alarm sound. 
     
     
       3. The method of bulk tobacco curing and drying and monitoring air flow of claim 2 wherein the method entails monitoring a series of bulk barns disposed in close proximity to each other by first monitoring the air flow in each respective bulk barn, and next actuating a central control unit and alarm device that serves each of the series of bulk barns. 
     
     
       4. The method of bulk tobacco curing and drying and monitoring air flow of claim 2 wherein the step of actuating a control unit includes actuating a relay type device associated therein that in turn switches the audible alarm device to an "on" position. 
     
     
       5. The method of bulk tobacco curing and drying and monitoring air flow of claim 4 wherein the step of actuating said relay type device includes the step of sensing air flow within said bulk barn such that once the air flow falls below a selected level, the air flow monitoring device is operative to open an otherwise active circuit by making the circuit nonconductive which in turn triggers the actuation of said relay device. 
     
     
       6. In a bulk tobacco curing and drying structure of the type having a drying enclosure, rack means disposed within said drying enclosure for supporting tobacco in bulk form therein, a forced air furnace system for generating and continuously forcing a system of air vertically through bulk tobacco contained within said drying enclosure and adding heat as necessary to maintain the temperature within the bulk tobacco barn at a selected level, the improvement comprising an air flow monitoring and alarm system for detecting inadequate air flow within said bulk barn and appraising anyone in the vicinity of the bulk barn of such, said air flow monitoring and alarm system comprising: air flow sensing means operatively associated with said bulk barn and positioned within the flow path of said system of air being circulated through the drying enclosure for sensing and detecting inadequate air flow through said bulk barn, said air flow sensing means including means responsive to flow rate for actuating the same in response to the sensed flow rate being below a predetermined level; master control means operatively connected to said air flow sensing means for switching the same between "on" and "off" states; a control unit operatively connected to said air flow sensing means and actuated thereby in response to the air flow sensing means being actuated due to air flow falling below a selected level; and an alarm device operatively associated with said control unit and responsive thereto for emitting an alarm in response to the actuation of said air flow sensing means and said control unit, such that the emission of the alarm indicates the presence of inadequate air flow.